Eva04
by ToothyOne
Summary: A little bit of something that could have happened before The End of Evangelion. It's a little wierd, but good. Suggestion of ReiXShinji. May work on that later.


Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or any of its characters except Kaworu because I stole him. Heeheehee!

Author's note: Well I'm back with the promised Eva fic, though it kinda sucks. Please review. I feel so unloved.

**Eva-04**

Rei stood in the doorway of her apartment, staring blankly across the room and out the grimy window opposite her. Beyond the grey-stained glass there was a huge crimson eye staring back at her. In a moment it was gone and Rei's view outside was obscured by a thick red substance that had coated the outer surface of the window. Still she did not respond. The eye returned later, recommencing to stare at the former Angel inside though blood was oozing from its pupil, blending the colour with the iris.

"Why do you fight us, Ayanami Rei?" A voice came mechanically into the girl's brain, but she only half heard it. All she could think about right then was the Other.

"Why labelled the Other, Ayanami Rei? He is like you and me. We are all alike, you, me and him." Rei almost sighed with relief when once again the eye was ripped from her view. She could hear its animalistic shrieks outside and hoped that her two fellow Eva pilots would finish it soon.

"Ayanami Rei, you betrayed us. For that you will be destroyed. Adam and Lillith have promised it." One last shriek and the night returned to its usual quiet. Rei shuddered and collapsed on the floor. Anyone else would have cried or screamed with fear, but Rei did not. She did not know how to cry.

----------------

"So the Angel spoke to you?"

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

"It spoke of my destruction. It said that Adam and Lillith have reunited to destroy me."

"Why you?"

"Because I was one of theirs and I betrayed them."

---------------

The voice that spoke to her held no emotion, matching her own impassive responses to its questions. The man was, of course, Commander Gendo Ikari, head of the Eva project and creator of Rei Ayanami as she had now become. Nothing more than a tool for the Eva team, and well she knew it. She was expendable, unlike the other pilots, but the Commander took special care of her. Extra special care. She could not understand it, but then how could she, being nothing but a shell; a puppet. The remainder of the interview with the Commander went quickly and Rei returned to the main building of the Eva headquarters to receive her next mission.

---------------

"That was not an Angel. It could not have been." Misato's voice was loud and vulgar, easily picked up from the lift down the hallway. Rei wandered into the room without anybody noticing and listened to the argument at hand.

"It had a blue blood pattern, but it was not numbered. Unless there is an eighteenth Angel then it could not have been an Angel."

"It was an Angel." Rei said it softly, but when she spoke everybody listened. It had always been, except when Asuka was nearby.

"But how?" Misato demanded, getting visibly frustrated.

"Because it told me." If it had come from anyone else the crew may have laughed, but Rei was not built to have a sense of humour and had not the capability to lie. Instead, they all just stood and stared.

"You mean you actually had contact with the Angel?" Everybody spun around to see Shinji Ikari enter the room, a quizzical expression on his face. Rei smiled slightly and he saw the slight movement and blushed. He was the son of her creator, and she had to love him. Not just for his father.

"Yes. The Angel spoke to me." Shinji did not look convinced.

"I did not hear it speak. It only screamed a lot."

"Telekinesis." Misato suggested and Rei nodded.

"I could hear it in my head."

"Is that why it kept going back to your window?" Shinji wondered quietly. Misato shot him a quirky grin.

"How do you know it was Rei's window, Shinji-Kun?" Shinji blushed and stuttered something inaudible that made Misato laugh raucously. Rei ignored them both and turned to the control operators.

"What is the next mission? Commander Ikari said something about testing a new prototype Eva."

"Yes. The SEELE want to abort the Eva project and take off where we left with robotic Eva. We need to prove that piloted Eva are more reliable, so we have rebuilt your prototype Eva-00 and added a few special abilities. Eva-04 has a very high synch rating and we need the best pilot we have to test it, but it will be dangerous so you are taking Shinji with you in case you get into trouble."

"What about Langley?"

"Askua is not skilled enough, to put it plainly. She would break under the pressure."

"May I see Eva-04?"

"Of course, Rei!" Misato jumped in, smiling a little too widely. "I'll take you and Shinji to see your new Eva."

------------------

The door slid shut silently behind them and the chamber was pitch black for a moment before the lights snapped on. Misato was already ahead of them and the two children ran to catch up. Just ahead was a huge Eva suspended in liquid with a swarm of maintenance crew climbing all over its exceedingly menacing face. Shinji could imagine it watching them like a hawk and a flashback came to him of when he had seen Eva-01's eye blinking at him. He shivered and Rei looked at him passively.

"Ikari-Kun, you will not be required to work this Eva so do not worry."

"I'm not worried."

"Yes you are." Rei's reply was so definite that Shinji could not deny it again without looking or sounding like an idiot. _'What are you, stupid!?' _Asuka's voice rang clearly through his head, reminding him of how stupid he really was. He was an Eva pilot because he didn't know how to do anything else. That was no plausible reason to be piloting Eva, as Asuka had said time and time again.

"Come, Ikari-Kun. We cannot begin without you." Rei's soft voice interrupted his thoughts and snapped him back to a sort of reality.

"I'm coming!" He called, jogging to catch up to her and Misato: his guardian and boss. Misato chucked him his plug suit as he came closer and he caught it with ease before veering off in the direction of the male change rooms, slowing down to a walk as he did so. Rei was right behind him, but heading into the female change rooms. Misato waited impatiently outside for them.

"Come on, we haven't got all day!" She called out loud enough for the Eva crew to turn and look at her before returning to their polishing of the Eva's armour. They emerged at the same time, Shinji in blue and white and Rei in pale grey-blue. One of the crew in an orange jumpsuit rushed over to greet them.

"Eva-04 is ready for action." He reported, bowing politely to Misato.

"Thank you. Come on, kids. If this works out well then I'll treat you to something better than a microwave dinner tonight, I promise." Shinji groaned. Mistao could not cook anything at all besides microwave dinners, meaning that she would be asking Shinji to cook. Rei did not say anything, but was staring wistfully at Eva-04. It was a deep black creature with a frightening face, decorated with red war paint and sharp horns.

"I'll be up in the tower if you need me, which you will." Misato laughed at her own lame attempt of a joke and skipped away.

"She must be a sadist to be so calmly excited about this." Shinji heard the crewman mutter as he walked back to his team, calling them down from the Eva and ushering them out of the chamber, leaving Rei and Shinji alone with Eva-04. Rei hurried over to the plug and Shinji followed dumbly as he finally caught a look at the true size of the new Eva. He climbed into the plug and settled behind the control seat before pulling the hatch shut. The familiar wrench of fear caught his gut as the plug was lifted off the ground and inserted into the Eva with a twist. Rei showed no sign of nerves and Shinji found himself a little envious of her ability to stay cool. The plug filled with liquid and the two children soon felt the familiar weightlessness of the plug. The lights came on and the controls became active as the liquid was drained from around Eva. Rei waited patiently for the restraints to be removed before attempting to move the creature. It took one shaky step forward and wobbled for a moment. Rei was already struggling with the new unit.

"Hey Rei, you alright in there?" Misato's voice came over the radio loudly and Rei nodded a yes as her face also came into view on the left side of her screen.

"Alright then kiddo, take Eva-04 into the training area. Gate 1 and 2 now unlocking. Standby."

"Standing by." Rei's voice was icy cool. The huge gates opened and Rei carefully walked the black Eva through the opening and down the passage into the hologram training room. The gates slid shut behind them with a clang.

"Shinji?" Rei stopped the Eva for a moment and turned to face him. "Do you get the feeling that something is going to go terribly wrong?"

"I… I always feel like that." Rei clicked her tongue and turned back around, kicking the Eva into motion again.

"You're no help, Ikari Shinji-Kun."

-----------------------

Kaworu watched from beside Misato, his ever present smile threatening to break into a larger one. Nobody could see him, of course, as his body had been destroyed, but he still existed or the rebirth would have begun its process already. Gendo Ikari could not understand why it had not, but was sure that the last 'Angel' that had been destroyed would bring about the Judgement he longed for. Kaworu had been sent back to Earth to do God's dirty work once again, but this time only as a spirit, without flesh, feeling or free will. He could only do what he had come for, that was his programming. To kill the treacherous Ayanami Rei and devastate the Lillums that had caused her to betray her kind.

-------------------------

The holograms swirled into place around Eva-04 and Rei gripped the triggers tighter in her gloved grip. Her hands were beginning to sweat, the only visible sign that she was getting uneasy. Something just felt _wrong_, but she couldn't put her finger on what it was.

"Rei, focus." Shinji's voice broke through her thoughts and she snapped back to life. A loud sigh came over the speakers and Misato's face reappeared beside them.

"You lost about half of your synch ratio then, Rei. What happened?"

"I was distracted. It won't happen again."

"You can't afford to be distracted in Eva-04, Rei. It's too powerful and it could break free from its armour if you don't keep a tight reign on it."

"I'm sorry Misato-San." Rei turned her full attention on the holograms around her and pushed her uneasiness to the back of her mind. She chanted to herself in her mind as the holograms ran through their cycle.

Sight, aim, shoot. Sight, aim, shoot. Do not get distracted. Do not think of _him_. Sight, aim and shoot. Do not think of _him_. Do not think of…

-----------------------

The alarm sounded and the screens flashed red. The synch ratios separated and the circuits snapped on screen as Misato screeched orders to the controllers at the panels. They tapped desperately at their computers and Misato, seeing that they were doing all they could, began to screech orders at Shinji through the radio.

------------------------

"Ayanami! Ayanami! Wake up Ayanami!"

"Shut up Shinji you idiot! She's not waking up! Take the controls before Eva goes mad! If it does you'll both be killed! I swear it Shinji if you don't do as I say…"

"Misato-San, I'm doing all I can."

"Good boy, Shinji-Kun. Please hurry, and be careful." Shinji took a breath as Misato's face disappeared and he settled into the pilot's seat, gently laying an unconscious Rei beside him. In the tower the alarms went quiet and the circuits plugged back in as the synch ratios rose and met again. Shinji could feel the pressure take over him as he struggled to regain control of the thrashing Eva unit. Its thrashes slowed and stopped and Shinji took it forward a step to make sure that he could now control it.

"Misato-San, it's under control. Open the gates."

"Thank God, Shinji…" Misato breathed over the speaker. "Standby, Gate one opening. Gate one opened. Standby for gate two."

"Standing by." Shinji was using up his strength quickly just by keeping control over Eva and he wished desperately for Misato to hurry.

"Gate two open. Proceed to hanger number five."

"Misato…"

"What is it Shinji?"

"I…can't…. Eva won't move…" Misato and Shinji saw it at the same time. The ghost of a boy floating just in front of Eva unit four, holding out a hand as if to restrict the huge creature in front of him. Of course, he wasn't meant to be seen, but then he could not have fulfilled his mission.

"Give her to me, Shinji."

"Kaworu… What are you… but I…"

"I am no longer who you knew me to be, Shinji Ikari. I am nothing but a shell, now, like what your father did to my sister. Look at Rei. Does she really look like a Lillum to you?"

"You can not have her, Tabris!" Misato's voice boomed across the chamber, echoing off the walls and making her sound more menacing than she could ever be normally, but Kaworu was not at all fazed.

"Misato-San, I believe that you aided Commander Ikari in the transformation of Rei. For this you are to be punished."

"Kaworu! Don't do this to me again Kaworu… please… Kaworu…" Shinji's pathetic voice whimpered from the Eva unit but Kaworu ignored it.

"Misato-San, you were a good woman. As good as any Lillum could be, but your time is gone. Goodbye." With a wave of his hand the control tower burst into flames, the sound of the explosion only marred by Shinji's screams over it.

"Stop this Kaworu!"

"Shinji Ikari." Kaworu suddenly turned his attention on Eva-04, staring straight into the cockpit and meeting Shinji's eyes through the glass. "You were always loyal to your friends, even me, right up until the end."

"Nagisa." The voice was so soft that Shinji barely heard it, but Kaworu heard it perfectly. His smile widened as he looked up to the top of the Eva's head. Standing on top was Rei, a little shaky but holding firm. Shinji looked beside him and realising that Rei was not there and the plug was half empty of fluid he screamed.

"Nagisa Kaworu, what is it you want with me? Is it you that they have sent to destroy me, as they promised?"

"I am but a messenger. You are wanted by Adam. I will take you to him."

"You killed Misato."

"I did not. She is alive."

"How can I believe you?"

"Because I am one of you." Kaworu floated up to where Rei was and offered her his hand. She stared at it for a moment before taking it. He smiled at her and took her in his arms, then floated down to the ground with her.

"Shinji, you should stay here." Kaworu waved a hand up at the Eva unit and sealed the plug shut. Shinji was screaming protests inside and struggling to get the unit free from the former Angel's control.

"I will take you to the core, Ayanami Rei."

----------------------

Rei had seen Adam twice before, but never like this. His eyes followed them as they entered the chamber, and she could have sworn he had moved his head.

"That's impossible. Adam is dead. His soul has been removed." Rei thought, scolding herself for allowing herself to become paranoid. Kaworu stopped just in front of Adam and turned to face Rei.

"You know of the Prophesies, Rei?"

"I do."

"You know, then, that there were seventeen Angels, myself being the last, and you being the second."

"Adam, the father of the Angels, being the first. Yes, I know, Nagisa Kaworu. Why do you tell me this?"

"Because there is more that you do not know, Ayanami Rei. The eighteenth Angel that is not in the prophecies, and the Angels that follow the eighteenth. You will recognise her name. Lillith."

"Lillith is an Angel? How can this be so?"

"The wife of Adam and also a part of him. It is only natural that she acquired his Angelic qualities."

"I see." Rei was quiet for a moment, looking up at Adam in reverence. "But you spoke of other Angels, Nagisa. What other Angels are there?"

"Lillith's children. You see, when Adam was captured, Lillith was bearing Adam's last child. It was born an Angel and Lillith saw the final part of the Prophesies unfold before her. When Tabris the seventeenth was killed, she would unleash the eighteenth upon an unsuspecting world. She would use the little time given to her to revive Adam, this being possible because you had removed the lance from his body. Adam lives now, Ayanami. Can you not see it? And can you not see the destruction he is planning to unleash on the world with his next four sons that Lillith has already given birth to. With Adam living, the cycle will never end." Kaworu's smile was bordering on insanity as he watched Rei's face widen in surprise.

"That is the first expression I have ever seen from you, sister."

"I am not your sister." Rei said firmly, glaring at Kaworu. "I have to find the others." She bolted for the door, but Kaworu waved it shut.

"We did not come here for you to be warned. We came here because Adam wants to see you suffer before him, you treacherous worm." Kaworu embraced her tightly from behind and she struggled to get free of his vice-like grip, to no avail. He laughed out loud, tightening his embrace further into a more painful hold for his captive. Adam moved and Rei screamed. The huge creature peeled himself off the giant crucifix and stood before his children, all seventeen eyes glaring down at the tainted child, Rei. His hands were shredded from the iron rods that had been holding him in place for over ten years.

"She is here, Father. But not for long." Kaworu's voice was so cold and emotionless, and that with the combination of his manic smile was very chilling. Adam reached for her with a bloody hand and Rei screamed.

--------------------------

Shinji heard the scream and pelted hopelessly at the controls of Eva-04, but it was well stuck. It was impossible to leave it, though, or Shinji would long ago have gone to his Eva-01 and beaten the crap out of his former friend. How dare Kaworu hurt him like this a second time. Rei was his friend and he would do all that he could to save her. Unfortunately that 'all' was not much at present.

"Shinji you idiot!" The voice made him jump and he hit his head on the top of the plug. Asuka's face appeared moments later in the screen, red hair unusually messy but her eyes were much brighter than normal. They looked almost crazy and Shinji found himself more than a little scared of her.

"How did you get stuck in there, you idiot?" She laughed cruelly. Shinji growled to himself.

"Get me out of here, Asuka!" He screamed at her and she glared at him.

"Don't order me around. I've already sent down the crew to cut you out, but your father isn't happy. You're making them ruin the new Eva and it hasn't even been outside yet." Shinji could hear the people above him already, cutting away at the reinforced steel, their machinery producing high pitched squeals.

"Why was this Eva built, Asuka? The Angels were destroyed so we don't need the Eva."

"Because the Commander ordered it. Isn't that a good enough reason?"

"No. My father always has a hidden reason for things like this." Suddenly the lights in the plug shut off and the mechanical screeching grew louder. Moments later a slit of light appeared as a whirring saw cut through the plug hatch. Shinji climbed out as soon as there was room and took a breath of air in relief. Without waiting for anyone to help him he jumped off the Eva and ran towards the hangar where his Eva-01 was waiting. He needed to get to Rei and Kaworu, to teach the latter a lesson that he would not soon forget.

----------------------------

Eva-01 jumped to life as soon as the plug was inserted and Shinji ripped it away from the restraints impatiently. He ran the unit out the gates and towards the core shaft, ripping apart anything that got in his way. He jumped down the shaft head first and Eva pelted towards the bottom in a rush of air. The giant purple unit landed with a thud in a crouch and Shinji, feeling the pain of the fall, recovered for a second before dashing towards Heaven's Door. An AT field was surrounding the door, but Shinji had ripped through plenty before and this was no problem. The enraged Eva smashed through the solid steel door and the people inside stopped their activities and stared at the tensed Eva. Kaworu saw that it was only Shinji and his smile broadened.

"I think it is time for a rematch, old friend." He smirked, turning from what he had been doing on the ground. Shinji did not take any notice of the Angel, though, because his eyes were locked on the bloody mouth of Adam and the small piece of blue-grey plug suit that was hanging from its tooth.

"Ayanami…"

"Is dead. And you will soon join her." Kaworu floated up until he was at eye level with Eva-01, staring directly into the cockpit at Shinji. Adam straightened behind him and turned his eyes on the Eva that was barely the size of his palm. If Adam had a voice Shinji was sure he would be laughing at the puny challenger before him. Before Shinji had time to react Adam had ripped the power circuit off the back of Eva and flung it across the chamber. Shinji gritted his teeth in pain as the Eva landed on a steel stake protruding from the floor. The battery clock began to run down quickly.

"It is a shame, Shinji-Kun, that we have to have such a violent end to our friendship." Kaworu's voice laughed.

"I hate you Kaworu! How could you do this to me!?" Shinji screeched, standing his Eva back up and trying to patch the hole in its armour desperately. "I thought you loved me." This sparked a sudden change in Kaworu's expression and he faultered in mid air, falling a few metres before catching himself again and floating back up towards Adam. He now had his head in his hands.

"Father, Adam, I cannot do this…" Adam looked down at his son and his eyes narrowed. Kaworu let out a scream and fell to the floor, Shinji dashing over to try to catch him in his Eva's huge hand. Once again Kaworu found himself in the tight grip of his friend, but this time he could not die.

"I do love you Shinji-Kun. What have I been doing? Why am I here? Adam, help me…" Kaworu's smile was wavering, giving way to the tears running down his pallid face. His head was thrown back in agony as Shinji tightened his grip.

"Shinji-Kun… please… don't…" The distraction was exactly what Adam had needed. Kaworu fell to the floor with a thump and lay there unconsciously as Adam began to tear Eva-01 to shreds, Shinji's screams falling on deaf ears. Adam had taken up one of the steel rods from the floor and drove it through Eva's head, disabling almost all of its functions as the central circuit system was smashed. Shinji was now a sitting duck. Adam collected another rod and prepared to lunge again and Shinji braced himself for the impact.

------------------------

"Yeehaw!!!" Asuka's voice broke through the semi-darkness of the plug and Shinji opened his eyes just in time to see Adam thrown off balance by a streak of red as Asuka in Eva-02 dashed into the chamber. Adam dropped his weapon and swatted at the Eva clinging to his leg, but lost his balance and fell to the floor. Shinji found that his Eva could still move slightly and crawled it towards the fallen creature. Eva-02 grabbed a handful of stakes and leapt into the air, raining the sharp steel down onto Adam's body. Each found a target and Eva-02 landed with satisfaction on Adam's chest, supposing that he was dead. Shinji screamed out too late as Adam raised hi arm and grabbed Eva-02 and threw it across the chamber to hit the crucifix in the centre. The two stakes that had held Adam in place before fell to the floor, barely missing Asuka. Adam stood again and turned his attention to the lame Eva-01 crawling towards him. Shinji looked up in horror as Adam approached, hand stretched out to grab the unit until another stake pierced it. Blue blood flew across Eva-01 and Shinji gulped, hoping he wouldn't be sick.

"Take that you oversized corpse!" Askua's voice came scratchily across the damaged radio and Shinji sighed.

"Thank you, Asuka." He muttered.

"Idiot." Was the reply. He wiped the blood off Eva's eyes with its hand and recommenced crawling towards his target while Adam was distracted with Asuka. She was jumping just ahead of him, pegging spears at his stumbling legs and avoiding his lunges. Shinji spotted the two spears that had fallen from the crucifix and stopped for a moment. They were not spears, but twisted lances like the one that had held Adam's torso before Rei had removed it to destroy an Angel. Reaching out for the lances with the remainder of his energy, Shinji pulled Eva's arms back with all his might. The battery clock started to buzz at him and he gulped. He had three seconds to hit Adam, and only one chance. If this worked, Adam would be dead, never to be reborn again.

"Asuka! Keep him still for a moment!" The lances flew from Eva's hands, but Shinji did not get to see whether they hit the target or not because the battery ran out and the lights turned off in the plug. Shinji broke into tears and curled up into a ball. He was never good at any sport, and he knew that he had not hit Adam. He just knew it.

-------------------------

Asuka cursed as the lances flew past Eva-02's head, embedding themselves in the wall. Adam stopped and glared at them , then back towards the dysfunctional Eva unit slouched in the centre of the chamber. He lurched off towards it, abandoning Asuka for the moment. She saw that Shinji's Eva had lost its power and she cursed again.

"Men! Why can't they look after themselves!?" She looked at the lances embedded in the wall and wondered why Shinji had thought they were so important. She pulled them out and turned back to see Adam just reaching Eva-01, grabbing its head and pulling it up from the ground. A faint scream could be heard from inside. Asuka looked down at the lances in her hands and suddenly realised what Shinji's plan had been. She gritted her teeth and dashed head on towards Adam, knocking him to the ground and forcing him to release Eva-01. She stood back up and backed away from Adam, hoping it had worked. The two lances were protruding from the creatures left breast, stained with blue blood. Adam did not stand back up and Asuka let out a whoop of joy, twirling Eva in a circle. She ripped open the back of Eva-01 and pulled out the plug before ripping the hatch off it. Shinji was curled up and whimpering in the pilot seat and Asuka laughed humourlessly at him, her voice projected by Eva.

"Shinji, you are an idiot." She put the plug down on the ground and he climbed out gratefully. He shot a cautious look at Adam before dashing over to where Kaworu had fallen, finding him still unconscious but otherwise unharmed. A spasm of anger took over Shinji and he slapped the boy, waking him up instantly. Kaworu stared up at Shinji with sad crimson eyes.

"I was sent to kill you and your father. I cannot complete my mission, Shinji-Kun, and so I will be denied my place in heaven. This was my last chance." Shinji noticed that his smile was missing and he softened.

"Kaworu-Kun, you sacrificed yourself once to save me, and now I must return the favour. You were my friend, Kaworu-Kun."

"Oh no you don't!" Asuka butted in, pulling Shinji away from Kaworu. "I just saved your sorry arse and you're not going to just die now, okay?!" Kaworu's smile returned.

"No, Shinji. You cannot die yet. There is too much you are still needed for. There are more Angels on their way, and they are not your only enemies. You will be needed to pilot Eva. And I should never have been sent back here. It only caused more trouble."

"So what should I do?" Shinji said, pulling away from Asuka's grip.

"You? You should do nothing, Shinji-Kun. You know what needs to be done, but you are not required to do it this time."

"You're going to leave me again?"

"I am." Shinji flung himself at Kaworu and embraced him tightly.

"Don't go. Not again."

"I have to, you know that. Ayanami Rei is the one to deliver me, and here she is now." The three of them looked up just as Eva-04 smashed through the Heaven's Door, its black face glaring down at the pincushioned Adam before focusing on the group below Eva-02. Rei's face appeared in the cockpit window and Shinji gasped.

"But Adam killed her!"

"Adam only killed one of her. Do you forget the dummy plug?"

"It was blown up."

"But your father had more clones. He has sent Rei to save you. I guess this means he does not hate you as you suspected." Eva-04 locked its sights on Kaworu and extended a huge hand to snatch him up.

"Does this mean we are not on friendly terms, sister?" He spoke up to Rei and she glared down at him.

"Nagisa Kaworu, you are not my brother. Shinji is my brother. Adam is not my father. Gendo Ikari is my father. You are no part of my family."

"Do it, then, Rei. Destroy me, and break another piece off your 'brother's' heart." Rei looked down at Shinji at her foot and hesitated. Shinji saw the situation and whimpered quietly, knowing that he would once again see his best friend killed. He had to make the choice.

"Goodbye Kaworu." He said softly, hoping he would understand.

"I knew you would make the right decision, beloved Shinji-Kun."

"Damn you, Kaworu-Kun." Shinji tensed as Rei's hand tightened around Kaworu, but instead of exploding, as he had when Shinji had killed him, he simply floated away in a cloud of ash. Shinji refused to cry, after all, Kaworu was already dead and he had cried about that enough the first time. Asuka put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug, which surprised him because she never showed any kindness to him ever.

"It's been a hard day for you Shinji-Kun." She said quietly. "And I'm afraid it's going to get harder once we leave this place. Cry now and you won't have to later."

"I don't understand." He said, flinching as she brushed the hair out of his face. Rei appeared behind them.

"Angels attacked while you were down here. Four at once. NERV didn't stand a chance with attacks coming from inside and outside. We were sent to help you defeat Adam and Kaworu, but before I got down here, I watched as the Angels destroyed the headquarters and everyone in it."

"What…?" Shinji was in a state of shock. "What do you mean everyone? My father, Misato…?"

"They are dead, Shinji." Asuka said for Rei. "We are the only NERV personnel still living." On hearing this, Shinji did something that he was very good at, and was to be expected of anyone hearing that everyone they cared for had just been killed. He broke down and cried while Asuka and Rei watched sympathetically.

To Be Continued…


End file.
